Sony RX100 V versus Panasonic GH5

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in October 2016 and January 2017. The RX100 V is a fixed lens compact, while the GH5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an one-inch (RX100 V) and a Four Thirds (GH5) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 20 megapixel, whereas the Panasonic provides 20.2 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Sony RX100 V vs Panasonic GH5

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Sony RX100 V and the Panasonic GH5. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the RX100 V – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Panasonic GH5 is considerably larger (130 percent) than the Sony RX100 V. It is noteworthy in this context that the GH5 is splash and dust-proof, while the RX100 V does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the RX100 V has a lens build in,
whereas the GH5 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can find an overview of optics for the GH5 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left
arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and
make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The RX100 V was launched at a lower price than the GH5, despite having a lens build in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Sony RX100 V vs Panasonic GH5

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony RX100 V features an one-inch sensor and the Panasonic GH5
a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the GH5 is 94 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 2.0. The sensor in the RX100 V has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the GH5 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 20.2MP, the GH5 offers a higher
resolution than the RX100 V (20MP), but the GH5 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
3.34μm versus 2.41μm for the RX100 V) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the GH5 is a somewhat more recent model (by 2 months) than the RX100 V, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GH5 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the GH5 has a markedly higher DXO score than the RX100 V (overall score 7 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1.1 bits higher color depth, 0.6 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the GH5 provides a faster frame rate than the RX100 V. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Sony is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison: Sony RX100 V vs Panasonic GH5

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder.
However, the one in the GH5 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the RX100 V (3680k vs 2359k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Sony RX100 V, the Panasonic GH5, and comparable cameras. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, both cameras feature
an electronic shutter, which makes silent shooting and higher burst speeds possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

Both the RX100 V and the GH5 are current models that good online retailers will have in stock. You can check the latest prices, for example,
at amazon. The RX100 V replaced the earlier Sony RX100 IV, while the GH5 followed on from the Panasonic GH4.

Review summary: Sony RX100 V vs Panasonic GH5

So how do things add up? Is the Sony RX100 V better than the Panasonic GH5 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V:

Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.

More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.

Longer lasting: Gets more shots (410 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.

Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the GH5 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera.

RX100 V 07:15 GH5

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the RX100 V or the GH5 handle or perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The detailed reviews can be accessed by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

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